Also:

Today’s weird science question comes from Kendraw: “My cat is obsessed with licking me. She will tolerate pets, but what she really wants to do when she needs attention is to lick me anywhere she can get skin. She won’t lick my face, thank goodness, but my arm, elbow, and hand are fair game! She will literally hold me down in her paws and clean me. And it’s not just a few licks; she gets quite thorough about it. I’ve tried bitter spray. No luck. I know it’s a sign of affection, but is there any way I can gently get her to stop?” Have you, like Kendraw, ever wondered “Why does my cat lick me?” First, I’ll talk about why cats lick you, and then I’ll give you some tips on how to persuade your cat that there are much more awesome options than grooming you until your skin is raw.

1. Cats lick as a means of social bonding

Cat licking is a way of bonding. Photography by Seregraff/Thinkstock.

Kittens groom each other, and older cats who aren’t related but get along well also spend time grooming one another. Often they’ll get the spots that are hard for a cat to reach by themselves, such as the top of the head and inside the ears. Exchanging scents through grooming also increases the bond between a pair of cats. (One Catster writer documented her attempt at licking her cat back.)

2. When your cats lick you, they’re paying you a huge compliment

A tongue bath from your cat is an indication that she feels totally safe in your presence. You are truly a member of her family, and she reinforces that by cleaning you like her mother cleaned her when she was a kitten.

3. Your cats’ tongues are covered with barbs

Your kitty’s tongue feels like sandpaper because it’s covered with papillae — backward-facing hooks made of keratin, the same material that makes your kitty’s claws. The papillae help cats rasp meat off bones, and they also assist in grooming by acting like a comb to pull out loose fur and dirt.

4. Your cats might be licking you because of anxiety

Some cats get so stressed that they begin licking compulsively. (One mysterious condition is called feline hyperesthesia.) Cats who lick themselves bald are often trying to comfort themselves because they’re stressed. Other compulsive kitties might lick and suck on fabric, plastic or even your skin.

5. To stop your cat from licking you, distract her

Learn the signs that your cat is about to start licking. Before she starts washing your arm raw, redirect her attention with a toy. If your cat likes catnip, slip a catnip-filled kicker toy in front of her when she’s about to lick you. If she’s not a catnip fan, try a treat-dispensing toy instead.

6. De-stress your cats with interactive play

Play is always good. It keeps your cat fit and trim, and it strengthens the bond between you. Not only that, but the chemicals released during exercise help your cat to relax and feel content.

7. Be patient when your cats lick you

It’s not easy to retrain a cat who has gotten used to performing a habitual behavior such as licking. Remember to stay gentle and avoid yelling or intense physical reactions like shoving your cat, tossing her off your lap, or (heaven forbid) hitting her.

Tell us: Have you been able to rehabilitate a compulsive licker? Please tell us in the comments how you did it. And, as always, if you have any other weird science questions, ask me by leaving a comment!

About JaneA Kelley: Punk-rock cat mom, science nerd, animal shelter volunteer, and all-around geek with a passion for bad puns, intelligent conversation, and role-play adventure games. She gratefully and gracefully accepts her status as chief cat slave for her family of feline bloggers, who have been writing their cat advice column, Paws and Effect, since 2003. JaneA dreams of making a great living out of her love for cats.

I don’t allow my kitties to lick my hair, hands, or face, IF I’m wearing making-up, lotion, hair products, or sunscreen. The chemicals in these things are not good for kitties to ingest. I DO rub their cheeks when I want to discourage licking – it distracts them, makes them very happy, and it’s impossible for them to continue licking when they are leaning into a cheek or chin rub!

Our cat Sugar, will sometimes lick my husband on the back of his head. He only has a small amount of hair but she will lick it. She’s not excessive about it but will do it for maybe a minute or two. Then she proceeds to finish her own grooming, curl up and take a cat nap.

I love it when my cats lick me! Why wold I want that to stop? One of my cats did lick my earlobe too hard and did make it painfully raw, so now I just make sure to offer alternate spots if they linger too long in one spot.

I have a cat and dog like Milo and Otis. They love each other like crazy. Cat is a licker, but I just say “no kitty” and he stops because he knows the reaction I get out of Jamo (dog) when I say the same(ish) thing.

Why does my cat lick my face every morning i tell her no push her away she gets mad at me and will give me a little bite.she does this every morning around 5 am.she wakes me up doing this.what can i do so she will stop.

My cat nagato is 8 months he dosent lick my face , he likes to nible on my ankle and lick then after also he like to lay on my pillow on top of my hair and nibble on my head and sink he’s clows into it after he does that he falls asleep on top of my hair, I don’t know if he loves me or hate me either way I love him

How do I stop my kitten from playing with my hands? He often goes after my hands and in doing so scratches them quite a bit. I want him to know my hands are for feeding, petting, picking him up, using a brush, etc., not for biting and scratching.

Darlene, it’s normal for kittens to play with our hands, so this is a behaviour your kitten will outgrow, but you’re right to discourage it. When he grabs at your hands, say “No,” firmly but calmly and walk away. Within a minute of that, get a toy that you can throw for him or dangle for him (so he’s going after the toy, not your hands) and let him work off some normal kitten energy on the toy. Never let you hand be “prey” under a blanket or towel, as smart cats learn fast that our hand is making that motion, which puts our hands back on the table as playthings. Keep your kitten’s front claws clipped short and offer him lots of scratching posts and pads. You can spray or sprinkle catnip on the scratchers to make them more enticing, and remember to praise him when he uses them. Finally, if the kitten is ever grabbing at your hands as a signal that he doesn’t want to be held or restrained, watch him for earlier signals he wants to move, such as pulling or turning away from you. The more your hands are being used for the desired things you listed, the faster he’ll understand that’s what your hands are for, and that’s all they’re for. Good luck!

My cat licks me on the face all the time, I try to give her my hand and arm but my face is her favorite spot. ( don’t worry I wash my face lol) I found it interesting because she’s the first cat I’ve had that licks I thought licking was a dog thing . I had a boy cat. R.I.P and I have a big girl whose mean and doesn’t interact w anyone but my new cat she loves to lick and play a lot. However her and the big cat don’t get along :(

Kittens also lick you because they need milk. many kittens are still ‘nursing” or need the nourishment.
Kitten milk powder can be bought at Wal-Mart or a pet store. just mix with water -while its powder-it will still need to be put in the Refrigerator . or it will spoil.
sometimes a kitten will not drink the milk if its too thick or too watery.

So many kittens are taken away from there momma cat, before they are ready. * also try to adopt there sibling. its easier with 2 then one.

Probably I’m not the only one to mention this, but I can’t see other comments, so I just wanted to note: The title of the article is “Why Do Cats Lick You? 8 Reasons,” and the article only lists 2. Number 1 and Number 2 are the same answer: bonding and affection. Number 4 is the next time a reason is listed. The other numbers are not reasons; they’re paragraphs about the content. There’s not even a Number 8.

I have no real problems with the content. Just the format. There are more than 2 reasons, though, and I know that one of them is if you taste good, be that from salty sweat or just getting your lunch on yourself. This piece could use tweaking.

LOVED your claw anatomy piece. I’m using it as an educational reference for a project I’m on.

What do you mean by unnecessary? The article says 7 reasons yet some of these aren’t reasons; they are ways to stop them from licking. Like that’s false advertisement: that’s all the person meant by that comment. Sorry he/she was smart enough to notice that and try to offer advise on formatting an article. Is help bad?

Ms Crystal, the link in the right-hand column titled “May We Also Recommend Our Most-Commented Stories” says “73 {in a colored talk box} Weird Cat Facts: 8 Reasons Your Cat Likes to Lick You”. That is the link you can use to get to this factoid. That may be what the commentors are referring to….